Woman shares ’embarrassing’ symptoms she regrets hiding from doctors as she’s diagnosed with incurable cancer

By
Monica Pop
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45-year-old Jenny Duncan is sharing her story about her battle with cancer and how she regrets hiding her symptoms from her doctor only because she was too “embarrassed” to speak openly about what she had been experiencing.

Namely, she first started experiencing symptoms while on vacation in Lanzarote in 2019, but she didn’t think about it much.

The reason why was because she was fit and healthy and didn’t think something serious could be going on.

Jenny was starting a new job as a head teacher in the UK where she is from, so when she experienced stomach ache and noticed blood on the toilet paper, she believed it was because of the stress and the excitement the new job brought.

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She did however took photos of the blood in her stool because she wanted to keep track, and one night, as she and her husband were lying in bed, he noticed one of the photos and learned what she had been going through.

“He said: ‘What on Earth? We need to get you some help’. And because he is normally so calm and measured, I knew I had to do something,” she shared.

It was then that he urged her to visit a doctor, and sadly, she learned of the devastating cancer diagnosis. Jenny had stage 3 bowel cancer.

“I was only 45, and I thought bowel cancer was something that only happened to older men,” she said of that time.

She frequently experienced bloating and gas after eating, and figured it was just her busy workload showing up as stress-related symptoms.

“I was very tired, but I thought that was just due to the pressures of work,” Jenny added. “I used to come home late and get straight back to work.”

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She said she thought it was embarrassing to talk to her doctor about poo and simply hoped the symptoms would disappear on their own.

When she learned she had cancer, Jenny regretted not visiting a doctor earlier, when she first noticed blood on the toilet paper.

“I do regret not going to the doctor straight away. I could kick myself for letting it go on so long. But I didn’t know that bowel cancer could affect someone in their forties.

“If I’d have known my poo and looked back and not been embarrassed and paid more attention to my body, would I then have got help sooner and would I be in this position now? I don’t know.”

She started chemo treatments during the time COVID-19 was making its way into the UK. That left her isolated and having to go through the treatments and the surgery all by herself.

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While her tumor disappeared, Jenny was told in 2022 that the cancer spread to her lymph nodes. This time, it was incurable.

“I absolutely lost it, I was crying and I kept telling Stuart ‘I’m going to die, I’m going to die’. I withdrew for a few days, didn’t want to see anybody,” she said.

After spending time alone, Jenny returned to work and enjoying life with her adult sons.

She is now living with stage four bowel cancer and undergoes scans every three to six months. She will restart treatment if her condition worsens. “I’m grateful for every day,” she says.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of bowel cancer can include changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, abdominal pain, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss.

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The anatomy of a strategic disaster

By
Monica Pop
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California Governor Gavin Newsom is making a strong effort to fight back against Donald Trump’s push for redistricting in Texas by attempting his own power move ahead of the midterm elections, and he’s showing a lot of enthusiasm for the battle.

At the moment, Democrats in California and across the country are calling for their leaders to be more aggressive, and Newsom is stepping into a direct showdown with Trump that carries very high stakes. Newsom, who has attacked Trump’s administration and the president himself many times in the past, claims he can win in securing five extra Democratic seats in the US House to balance out the five that Texas Republicans are trying to capture through mid-decade redistricting.

If he in fact does that, he could easily position himself as the symbol of a Democratic revival in the midterm elections, even as his influence in Sacramento declines because of term limits, the Intelligencer reports.

California Governor Gavin Newsom/ Reuters

Although it wouldn’t literally bring Trump’s presidency to an end, as Newsom claimed in a recent social media post, having Democrats in control of the House would definitely create more obstacles for him in Washington.

However, despite Newsom’s confidence, his words do carry risks for both himself and his party.

According to many, Newsom’s attempt to counter Texas Republicans’ redistricting backfired since his 24-hour ultimatum only gave them time to regroup, while California’s independent commission left him powerless to act as quickly as Texas lawmakers. So, instead of deterring Republicans, it fueled division and raised doubts about Democratic credibility.

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The risks now stretch beyond Texas. If California retaliates, other GOP-controlled states could join the fight, a contest Republicans are better positioned to win. Newsom’s plan could fall apart if voters reject the ballot measure. Many people trust the independent system already in place, and even Schwarzenegger might rally against changing it.

If Newsom succeeds, Democrats could pick up seats and gain momentum heading into the midterms. But if he fails, it might give California Republicans a boost and hurt his chances on the national stage.

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Angelina Jolie and Zahara Jolie-Pitt turn the 2025 Golden Globes into a mother-daughter style masterclass

By
Monica Pop
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Angelina Jolie and daughter Zahara Jolie-Pitt shared a mother-daughter moment at the Golden Globes 2025, and it’s safe to say that all eyes were on the duo. This doesn’t really come as a surprise knowing that the Tomb Rider star steals the spotlight whenever she makes a public appearance.

This time, the mother and daughter complemented each other, gathering the attention of many.

The actress dazzled in a whimsical silver sequined gown, while her 19-year-old daughter turned heads in a striking white dress adorned with a black tree motif curling around one hip. Both gowns were designed by Alexander McQueen.

This isn’t the first time Zahara to accompany her mother at such an event. In fact, the duo attended Palm Springs Film Festival Awards together earlier this week.

Angelina Jolie earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for her role as opera icon Maria Callas in Maria. This is her nineth Golden Globe nomination, winning three.

The musical drama tells the story of the celebrated opera singer’s glamorous yet turbulent life in 1970s Paris.

Speaking of the experience of making the movie, Jolie told told Cynthia Erivo, “What got me the most was, towards the end of [Maria’s] life, there was a lot of cruelty, and she was very unsupported. I knew that the whole team wanted to approach it with love and respect for her, so I thought we’d try.”

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In order to prepare for the role, Jolie learned Italian opera for seven months. “I didn’t realize the practice of it and the learning of it is one thing, but it was finding my voice and letting my voice out that was really hard for me. And I was really emotional about it,” the actress revealed.

While promoting the Netflix film, Jolie paid tribute to Callas by wearing the opera singer’s own Cartier jewelry at the Venice Film Festival in August 2024.

“I chose not to copy [Maria’s] looks because they are hers, and her Venice carpets were stunning, so I gave a little nod to her—in a different way,” she told Vogue at the time, adding, “You can imagine how special it was to wear a piece of jewelry that was hers.”

Maria Callas

Jolie spoke to People magazine of the making of the film during the American Film Institute Festival premiere of Maria in Hollywood on Saturday, Oct. 26, saying she shares a “certain loneliness” with Callas that comes from being a dedicated worker.

“I don’t want to speak too much about it because it’s too personal, but there’s definitely a loneliness and a work ethic,” she said of her connection with the opera diva whose character she portrayed. “I may be many things, but I’m a very hard worker, right?”

She added, “I’m an imperfect person, but I work very hard and she does.”

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Woman spends over a decade saving for a nose job—better sit down before seeing her after

By
Monica Pop
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It’s not a secret that most people would gladly alter certain aspects of their faces or bodies in order to feel more confident about themselves. Today, with the rise of plastic surgery and the wide array of cosmetic procedures, improving one’s appearance can feel almost effortless.

Of course, these procedures aren’t cheap, and for those who can afford them everything goes down to simply choosing the right procedure and paying for it. Still, it’s not just about having the cash. Changing your body can take an emotional and physical toll, and the results last far longer than a quick shopping spree.

Devyn Aiken is a young woman who decided to undergo a rhinoplasty and change the appearance of her nose.

She always wondered how she would look like had her nose wasn’t that big, and for years, she dreamed of altering it.

When she turned 30, that dream of hers finally turned into a reality.

Devyn said that the procedure cost $11,000, money she was saving for 10 long years.

However, despite her decision to change her appearance, she shared with her TikTok followers that she had never thought of herself as ugly.

On the contrary, she always felt she was a beautiful girl.

“I thought I was a pretty girl, I didn’t think I was ugly,” she shared in her interview just nine weeks post-surgery. “You could ask anyone—they would say I was very confident, very secure with who I was. I just thought I had a huge nose that I hated.”

@doseofdevy Hmmmm #nosejob ♬ Nicki Minaj – baddie_editt

With the procedure, she didn’t seek validation nor she wanted to change her looks entirely. Instead, it was a personal choice and proof that true confidence comes from making changes for yourself, not for others.

Since her rhinoplasty, Devyn has turned her TikTok account into a space for open discussion about plastic surgery, sharing everything from before-and-after photos to updates on her recovery. In the process, she has unintentionally become a go-to voice on cosmetic procedures.

Her comment section reflects a mix of reactions: supportive messages, questions from people considering rhinoplasty, and, naturally, some criticism from those who question her choices. Despite the range of responses, she remains dedicated to her goal: fostering transparency and honesty about her journey.

“I documented it from day one, I posted a video when I was still in bed recovering,” she recalled. “I just thought, ‘Wait, this might help other people,’ I wanted to document everything about the journey.”

@doseofdevy Like pls bffr #nosejob ♬ original sound – princessa

When it comes to her transformation, this young woman is unapologetically open and chronicles her journey brutally honestly.

“I left all my videos up, my photos, and I’m just owning it. I got a nose job,” she says. “I’m not going to erase who I was. And I love posting the before and after because it’s such a dramatic difference.

“The earliest I can remember wanting a nose job was at 14. I asked my mom, ‘Can I have a nose job?’” she recalled. But at that age, doctors refused to operate on her because she was still very young and her face was still developing.

When she turned 18, she scheduled her first consultation. The only obstacle she faced at the time was the money. “I had a deviated septum, but nothing that required surgery,” she explained. “It was purely cosmetic. Insurance didn’t pay. This was straight-up vanity.”

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After ten years of saving every penny, she was finally able to undergone the much-wanted surgery.

“I just feel so happy every time I look in the mirror,” she said in an interview. “It’s literally life-changing … Now I can just shop in peace. I can go out in peace and I don’t have to worry if someone’s making a comment. I feel relieved.”

As expected, most of her videos are met with criticism from people who are against plastic surgery, but over the years, Devyn learned how to ignore the nasty comments.

“I was a little nervous putting myself out there because I get nasty comments every day. Every time I log onto my social media, there’s a disgusting comment,” the TikTok star said. “People just have a misconception that [with] plastic surgery, you’re like this fake bimbo. You’re making yourself into someone else. That’s not the case. I’m just enhancing and improving myself.”

You can take a look at Devyn’s complete transformation in the video below.

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Strange noises came from the nursery each night —everything seemed fine until I got a baby monitor

By
Monica Pop
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My evenings at home with my baby daughter Ivy were small miracles. Her soft laughter, the warm cocoa, and the quiet joy of a baby finally asleep seemed to be everything I have always longed for.

That evening, as my baby girl nestled in her ducky blanket, her breathing calm and gentle, and my husband Judson stirred cocoa in the kitchen, I lay on the couch and thought to myself, “So this is what happiness looks like.”

Indeed, the world was at my feet and I felt like the happiest person there was.

However, as days passed by, there came the nights that weren’t that peaceful. At first, I just thought I was just imagining things, and Judson tried to convince me that I was too tired to be thinking clearly, but I knew I wasn’t making things up, that faint rustling coming from my baby’s room was as real as that coffee mug I was holding in my hand. I could hear it, sense it, feel it…

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As the noises from the nursery kept coming back night after night, Judson tried to convince me that it was the house settling, the pipes, or the old windows making it.

At the end of the day, the house was indeed an older one and things needed to be repaired, but that strange sound… it was definitely coming from my daughter’s room.

No matter how much everyone tried to convince me to let it go, I simply couldn’t, so I called Kaylie, my friend who knew everything about baby gadgets.

“Are you out of your mind?” she asked me when I told her I was suspecting someone was entering my house at night. She even started laughing, but still, she told me everything about that baby monitor she had purchased for herself months prior. It had night vision, audio, video — everything.

That night, I set it up carefully and felt a sense of security.

I went to bed, ready to have the much-needed sleep when I heard a scream. It was 03:15 in the morning and the baby monitor showed shadows.

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I woke Judson up and rushed to Ivy’s room. She was disturbed by something and wouldn’t stop crying.

“You are making a big deal out of this,” Judson said. “She’s still just a baby, and babies cry… for no apparent reason.” He then asked me to stop being paranoid because it affected everyone. But I knew what I saw. There were shadows on the baby monitor, and I was certain someone was sneaking into my daughter’s room.

And then, I saw Ivy’s milk bottle was on the floor, and it was warm, as though someone had just warmed it for her.

I started panicking even more. Was I going mad?

Judson explanation was that perhaps I’d sleepwalked, maybe it was the hyper-vigilance of new motherhood. But I knew better. Someone was there, and I was about to prove him wrong.

I made sure everything was closed, the front door, the garage door, everything. And then, just as I approached the window, I saw it, a pendant — a cracked silver heart. I hadn’t seen that pendant in years. It belonged to someone who was not part of my life any longer.

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Morning came and I left Ivy with the babysitter. “I’ll be back in no time,” I said. Then I got into my car and drove to the house I haven’t visited in what seemed like an eternity — my mother’s house.

Time seemed frozen there. Lace curtains, chipped ceramic owl on the porch. And my mother, waiting.

“You broke into my house,” I yelled.

“I just wanted to hold her, just once,” my mother said.

“But how did you get inside? How did you get past the security system?” I asked, needing answers.

But just as my mom was about to start speaking, Judson appeared at the house — “Honey, I can explain,” he said.

“What is going on? Judson, you knew my mother was the one getting inside our house and let me believe that I was imagining things? That I was going mad?”

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It turned out Judson caught my mother sneaking, but she then told him the whole story about her life and he decided to trust her.

“What’s the whole story, Judson?” I asked. “Well, that’s not my story to tell,” he answered, leaving me alone with my mother.

What my mom said next changed my world. It turned out my father was having an affair with ant Jessie, the woman whom I frequently saw while growing up. The one I believed was like a mother to me. The same woman who kept telling me my mother left me and had nothing to do with me.

What Jessie and my father did was used their influence to put her in a psychiatric facility. They said she was unstable.

“They kept me locked away for five years. Jessie was head of the department. She and your father made sure I couldn’t see you. Couldn’t call you. Nothing.”

My mom also told me she watched me from a distance. When I started college, when I got married… but now that I had a child, she wanted to be part of the baby’s life, and Judson helped her.

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He approached slowly and said, “I believed her, Reina. I didn’t want to at first. That’s why I hired a private investigator. I needed to know the truth. And she was telling the truth. Everything checked out. When I found out, I went to a lawyer. We’re working on it now.”

Judson also explained that he let my mom enter by disabling the security system in the house.

I was disappointed she and Judson lied to me, but they assured me they just waited for the right time to tell me the truth. And for whatever reason, I wasn’t mad at them any more.

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What happens to the soul after cremation?

By
Monica Pop
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Cremation is the process of incineration of the body of a deceased person at very high temperatures, with only a relatively small amount of “ash” left at the end, for the family to either keep, bury or scatter. The truth is that cremation remains taboo in many cultures and religions, but despite that, it has gained popularity over conventional funerals in recent years.

There are many misconceptions surrounding the process of cremation, which leads people to feel scared of it — but that fear simply comes from the unknown.

Lauren, a former funeral home worker who goes by @lovee.miss.lauren on TikTok, decided to walk her followers — over 2.5 million — through the process of cremation and bust a few common myths.

According to her, the most common question she gets is, “How can I be certain that the ashes I receive truly belong to my loved one?”

Lauren walks families through the process, explaining that when a body arrives at the crematory, it is tagged with a metal ID plate carrying a unique number. That plate stays with the body throughout cremation. Afterward, the ashes are sealed in a bag with the proper identification, and the family is given a cremation certificate listing the person’s name and registration number.

Some of the questions people ask may sound unusual, but they address real concerns. For instance, one person asked if a tampon is removed when a woman passes away during her menstrual cycle. Lauren explains that, in most cases, an autopsy is performed before cremation, and items like tampons are removed—especially if embalming is part of the process. All of this is done following strict protocols and only with the family’s consent, ensuring the body is treated with dignity and respect.

Louise Singer, manager of Bramcote Bereavement Services in the UK, explained that before cremation, coffins are inspected for items that cannot be burned, such as metal objects. She stressed the importance of checking for pacemakers, as they can explode in the heat and even shift a massive cremation chamber.

Well, not only does the process of cremation itself raise questions for those who decide to have their loved ones cremated, but also the question of what happens to the soul afterward. This especially bothers those who are religious and believe in the afterlife and in the concept of the soul living forever.

Different religions, traditions, and beliefs offer different answers to this question.

Though the mechanics of cremation are clear, what happens to the soul is still shrouded in mystery.

1. Hinduism and Buddhism: A Path to Liberation

In Hinduism, the cremation is the preferred process when a person dies. It is believed that the soul (atman) is eternal and simply leaves the body at the time of death. The act of cremation helps the soul detach from its physical form and move on to its next life through the cycle of reincarnation (samsara).

In Hindu belief, fire is considered a sacred purifier that releases the soul from the body.

In Buddhism, just like in Hinduism, cremation is commonly practiced, with the difference that Buddhism does not hold to the idea of a permanent soul. This religion teaches that consciousness continues in a cycle of rebirth. According to those who practice Buddhism, cremation isn’t only a ritual but a gesture of acceptance, honoring impermanence while opening the path to what comes next.

2. Christianity: Faith in the Afterlife

Over the centuries, Christian views on cremation have changed. For Christians, especially Catholics, burial was historically favored because of the belief in bodily resurrection. Today, most Christian denominations accept cremation, provided it doesn’t reject the belief in resurrection.

Christians believe that the soul is judged by God and moves to heaven, hell, or a waiting state like purgatory after a person dies. The body’s treatment—whether burial or cremation—does not affect the journey of the soul, but faith and one’s relationship with God are what truly matter in determining the soul’s path after death.

3. Islam: Preservation of Dignity

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In Islam, cremation is strictly prohibited. Muslim tradition calls for the body to be buried as soon as possible following death, in a manner that is both simple and respectful.

Muslims believe the soul leaves the body at the moment of death, but remains linked to it until the Day of Judgment. This prohibition emphasizes the dignity owed to the human body, with burial serving as an expression of respect and obedience to God’s commands.

4. Secular and Spiritual Views

In today’s world, there are plenty of people who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, or they simply adopt a more secular perspective.

Cremation, in these contexts, is often viewed as a natural return of the body to the earth. Some hold that the soul journeys to another plane, becomes one with the universe, or lives on through the memories and impact left behind.

Others, particularly scientists and humanists, view consciousness as ending at death, making cremation a personal or ecological choice rather than a spiritual concern.

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My wife became distant – then suddenly, she was gone, with only an envelope left in her place

By
Monica Pop
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Sometimes, you believe that you know someone better than you know yourself, but that suddenly changes and that person starts feeling like a stranger all of a sudden. I felt exactly like that when my wife of fifteen years started pulling away, not only from me but from our daughter too. Honestly, I couldn’t understand why because Levine had always been a devoted mother and a loving wife.

She used to be the woman who filled our lives with warmth, and then out of the blue, she suddenly became so distant that her laughter was replaced by silence. I would see her staring out the window, lost in her thought, or quietly wiping away tears when she thought no one was watching. Whenever I would ask her what bothered her, she’d simply say, “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

When things went too far, I begged her to tell me the truth, because it was more than obvious something was wrong, but she said it wasn’t the right time for any truths to be revealed, and told me to wait.

Then came the day everything unraveled — I returned home with Emily, our daughter, and found an envelope on the table with my name on it.

Inside was a letter from Levine in which she opened up about the things that led to her estrangement from her own family.

Levine had cancer; stage 3. She wrote it was incurable and the prognosis was dull.

Further, she explained that she wasn’t afraid of dying but of the thought of burdening Emily and me, so she checked herself into a hospice two states away.

At that moment, I couldn’t stop my tears. My hearts shattered into pieces when I realized Levine’s silence came from love, not indifference.

Despite her wish to be alone, Emily and I traveled to the hospice the very next day. Seeing her frail broke me, but her face lit up when she saw us. Emily sobbed, “Mom, why didn’t you tell us?” Levine whispered, “I thought it would be easier this way.”

We remained by her side in those final weeks, trying to make new memories. Though her strength faded, her spirit blossomed, offering Emily words of love and wisdom for the days ahead.

When Levine’s last moment arrived, she wasn’t alone. She left this world holding my hand, with Emily by her side. She had hoped to protect us from pain, but in the end, we faced it as one.

Today, Emily and I live with her memory.

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Rude man insults a woman at the airport, not knowing he’ll soon regret it

By
Monica Pop
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When Dr. Carter saw a short line at the airport, she felt relieved because she was in a desperate need to catch a flight quickly for a critical case. But then, she accidentally dropped her purse and everything inside scattered on the floor. As she knelt to collect her belongings, Michael and Dana, a couple, approached the counter.

“I need two tickets to Santa Monica, please,” Michael said. The man at the counter looked worried. “We only have two seats left,” he said, sharing an edgy look with Dr. Carter.

“I need to get on this flight, please. It’s an emergency. I’m a doctor,” Dr. Carter said while picking up her things. Michael didn’t want to wait. “The tickets are clearly ours,” he insisted, showing his credit card. Dana felt sorry for Dr. Carter. “Maybe we should wait, honey?” she suggested to Michael. But Michael disagreed. “We’re not changing our plans,” he said firmly.

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Dr. Carter begged him, explaining that it’s about saving a life. But Michael wouldn’t listen. “Life’s tough. We all have our problems,” he said and asked the man at the counter, Luke, to proceed with the booking.

Dana wasn’t pleased with the way Michael treated the doctor and tried to tell him that, but Michael simply wouldn’t listen.

Once on the plane, Dana felt disappointed with him again after watching how poorly he treated the flight attendant. Michael’s acts made her question their relationship.

At one point, he asked for free martini drinks, which made Dana uncomfortable, but Michael didn’t seem to care.

As he was having one drink after another, he suddenly started gasping for air after an olive from the martini had gone down the wrong way.

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Dana quickly wrapped her arms around Michael’s waist and pushed upward. Passengers stared as she tried again and again. At last, the olive popped out of his throat and bounced off the seat ahead.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Michael coughed and then asked for more drinks, this time without olives in it.

“Michael, you need to be more careful, especially with your heart condition.”

Michael laughed. “My heart’s just fine, Dana. It takes more than an olive to take me down.”

But he wasn’t right. Moments later, he collapsed onto the floor of the aisle. A nurse on board rushed over, saying Michael was in tachycardia and needed urgent care. Dana grew anxious as paramedics met the plane and rushed him to the hospital. There, under harsh white lights, staff hurried him down the corridor. “BP’s dropping,” a nurse called out with concern. “Where’s Dr. Carter? We need her,” one of the doctors could be heard saying, and Michael knew that same sounded familiar.

Some time later, Dana found herself sitting beside Michael in the hospital room. “He’s stable, but it’s touch and go,” a nurse said.

When Michael awoke, weak and disoriented, Dana told him, “You had a heart attack. Dr. Carter saved you.”

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The name triggered a flood of memories, the airport, their argument, and the searing chest pain. Moments later, Dr. Carter entered, and Michael recognized her at once. “You… you’re the one from the airport,” he said.

“Yes, I got here on a charter flight. Lucky for my patient and you, too,” Dr. Carter replied.

Michael was embarrassed. “I’m sorry for how I acted before… you saved my life. Thank you.”

Dr. Carter smiled. “Take better care of yourself. You’ve got a second chance,” she advised.

Michael then looked at Dana and apologized. He was now aware of his behavior and he realized how poorly he treated people around him. But this experience taught him that he needed to change. He needed to become a better person.

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